Momentary Recommends: Resources from Pia Agrawal
Looking for indulging content during quarantine? Momentary Recommends is a bi-weekly round-up of content, selected by a Momentary staff member. This week, enjoy a list of recommendations from Curator of Performing Arts, Pia Agrawal, including new things to watch, read, and do.
What I’m Watching:
I binged this show in one sitting, and I’ve re-watched the entire season for a second time since. It centers on the life of an Indian-American teen, Devi Vishwakumar, and the show is sweet, funny, and extremely watchable. There are these tiny moments throughout the season–when her mother yells at her for nearly dropping a textbook to the ground; when her cousin’s potential husband brings her a Swarovski–that made me truly laugh out loud recalling my own Indian-American childhood. It’s rare to see this kind of representation in American TV series and it made me feel really at home during these isolated moments.
What I’m Anticipating:
Animal rescue has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I’m really excited that the national animal rescue, Best Friends Animal Society, is working to build an animal resource center here in Northwest Arkansas. Their Instagram is filled with the stories and pics of beautiful animals that are seeking or have found their forever home.
Now is a great time to adopt since many of us are home more than we’re used to! I’m getting extra quality time with my own rescue cat, Butchie, who–shameless self-promotion–has her own Instagram. She’s an unequivocal source of joy and comfort for me and I encourage anyone who has been considering adopting or fostering to dive in!
What I’m Buying:
A dear friend of mine turned me onto Fat of the Land a while ago and I’ve never looked back. The herbalist behind Fat of the Land is based in New York’s Hudson Valley and uses the bounty of the nature around her to create skin care, pantry items, and elixirs. Getting the Spring Seasonal Wellness Box was a big treat during isolation as it helped me step up some of my self-soothing rituals and routines.
Where I’m Learning:
StopDiscriminAsian is a coalition of arts and culture workers who are confronting the racism, xenophobia, and violence towards diasporic Asians that has been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The site (and forming network) is bringing a lot of truth and education to the uptick in racism around the country, offering a place for Asian Americans to tell their stories, and providing resources for those who need help or want to know how they can help.
What I’m Reading (and Re-reading):
“The Pandemic is a Portal,” Arundhati Roy
Arundhati Roy is a writer I turn to a lot, particularly in times of crisis. She published this essay last month and while so much feels like it has changed, this piece remains incredibly resonant to me. She examines our current crisis around the time that India (where she lives) went into lockdown and the complications and implications of that. The whole essay is worth reading but the final three paragraphs, in particular, will stay with me for a long time to come.